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Patented March 28,1876.

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EDWARD F. LINTON, or Ess'r New YORK, N, Y.

IMPRQVEMENTIN PVROTECHNIC SIGNALS.

Specification forming pertof Letters Patent No. R'f, dated March 28, 1676; application filed February 14, 1876.

i To all whom it may concern lowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a i'ront elevation of the signal.

- Fig-2 is a vertical sectional view ot' thesemc.

`Figs. 3, 4, and 5 represent different views of the stars. l

The present invention is an improvement in the class of signals known as pyroteclmic night-signals, and is designed to be used, es such, in connection with any public or private system or code in which different vcolors or combination of colors are employed to represent numerals or'letters, and whereby said characters thus represented are rendered the media of intelligent communication. In the day-time any information which the code or system of signals is susceptible .of imparting can readily be spoken or conveyed, as is well known, by means of flags, Sto., the color or colors of which being different, and each representing a certain numeral `or other character. When either of the liags reprcnting the code is displayed, or any series of them in succession, the information they are thus caused to speak or convey is intelligible, and readily understood by all who have a key, or are familiar with the system or code in connection with which they are used. At night, or when it is dark, as a means of signaling,

flags and all kindred devices are, of course,

valueless, and, consequently, as a substitute for night-signaling, colored lights or pyrotechnic signals, exhibiting different colors or combination of colors, said colors corresponding with those ol the day-signals, have for a long period been used.

LBut, as full y attested by practical experience,

vthe class of signals now in general use, andi known and recognized as pyrotechnical night signals, are not only, for many reasons, most objectionable, but, on some occasions, are entirely inadequate to accomplish results which are most important, and much desired. .ln

now in general use are what may be termed stationary signals-..that is, they do not project or throw te anA altitude or distance the composition through the burning of which their brilliancy is exhibited, and their color rcndcred ldiscernible, and, as a consequence,

the signnl being held in the hand, and being composed of compositions that in burning throw oft' a kind of lava, the same frequently falls on the hands, inlicting a'scriousburn.

Besides, being a lxed light of powerful illuminating properties, when burned on the deck of a vessel the illumination caused would cause the signal to disclose surrounding objects in a manner sometimes most objectionablefor instance, in time of war the brilliancy ofthe light being such es to fully disclose the character of the vessel from which the signal is tired; and again, the lixed .character of. the ordinary night-signal renders it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to convey intelligence to e fleet in rough weather, with a highsea, running; and agaimthe lixcd character et' the signal renders it altogether inadequate to couvey an y intelligence where one vessel is seperated from another by .any point ot' land, or other natural or articial obstr.uctionas, for instance, when one vessel is inside and the other outside of a harbor; and again, the ordinary night-'signal being composed of -a slowburning composition much valuable time is lost when it is desired to signal rapidly, and much valuable time is 4also lost when it is necessary `to signal from a deg-ship to each vessel of the iieet. Especially' is this the .case

when the flag-ship is in the center, and is sur-` rounded by the other vessels ot' the lleet, as

signals under such circumstances have to be .exhibited forward and aft, andI also at the sides oi the ship, to insureot' their being seen` and recaiga-:ized 'by the entire ilce't. And au other most serious and importantobjection t0 'the ordinary signal is that, owing te the natureot' its coin-position, it is very ldifficult to protect the same from deterioration .th-rough atmospheric inliuences.

New, .the object of the present invention is to produce a lpyroteehnic night-signal equally as, if not more, brilliantthan the signals now in general use, and one which is entirely free the first place, the pyrotechnic night-signals fx om each and every one'of the series of o'b jections hereinbefore enumerated. l

In my improvement the colored signal ballsjor stars being projected far into the air, no4 lava. is formed which'can possibly fall and ;burn thefhand. They do not illuminate surand, tlnally,'the construction ot'l my signal is such as to secure absolute protection from atmospheric action or chemical change.

j \In 'constructing my signal I utilize the wellknown principle ot' the Roman candle, and

the 'nature of my invention is found in connectionwith certain essential and most important improvements, in connection with the construction of the stars, the time-fuses, the powder-cham ers, the means of ignition, &c.,' all as hereinafterldescribed. To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and method of operation.

In `the accompanying drawing, A isthe case, and is of cylindrical form, and may be constructed ofany. suitable material. The relative proportions illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where the cane is about eight inches in length, one and a half inch in diameter, leaving a vertical annular cham- `ber,'say, ofan inch and asixteenth in diameter, is well suited for a signal that is designed to contain three colored stars, but there is nothing arbitrary about these dimensions, as they may be changed at pleasure, without in any manner affecting the principle of my improvement. B is the plug of clay, or other non-combustible material, and .is rammed orpacked in the case in the usual manner. -0 G1 C2 G3 are timefuses, and may be constructed of any of the compositions known to pyrotechnic chemistry, as suited for the .purpose designed. The lower and upper time-fuses C and C? may be of any desired depth., provided the lower one is of depth suiicient to contain the powderchamberc,and' the depth of the upper one, C3, is suiicient to provide such a quantity of the composition as will insure the ignition of the powder in the chamber e. The dimensions or quantity'of the composin tion, which the intermediate time-fuses Cl and' C shall contain must besuch asv to insure of their burning without igniting the powder in the chamber below during such an interval as will be consumed .by the projected star in burning,'and until its entire extinguishment occurs, and then cause the ignition of the powder in the chamber below. D D are the colored stars, and'they are to be constructed of such compositions as will cause the different signals to represent such colors, or combinations of colors, as will fully meet the exigencies of the code or system in connection with which they are to be used. What exactly these colors or combinations of colors shallbe, the code itself will determine. Consequently, this .is no part of my invention; nor is it necessary to give a formula that will recite the ingredients necessary to produce stars representing different colors, or combinations of colors, as' from the. earliest stages of the art, all who are familiar with chemistry as applied to pyrotechny,'have known ot' these compositions.

But in constructing stars for night-signals,

I have discovered that it is necessary they should be exceedingly strong, and so constructed, as, if possible, to do away with all danger of their breaking, or the compositionbecoming disintegrated. Therefore I do away with the vertical'annular channel for the quick match, which; in the 'stars of the Roman candle, is invariably at thecenter, and which,

being used for the purpose ot' ignition, necessarily must extend through the entire surface ofthe star., and which 'weakens the same at the point where the greatest force 'of the powder is expended or exerted; and form the channelsot' ignition, or for the quick match, by providing one or more verticalgroovcs at the lateral face or faces of the star. In Fig. 3 a star is shown having four of such. grooves, as seen at d d. Yet notwithstanding the disadvantage t'or the reason stated and others hereinafter mentioned, and which result from having the stars formed with a channel through their center, there are certain demands which the central channel of the stars of the Roman candle meets, which, for the purposes of pyrotechnic night-signaling, are most important-that is, it lights the star within the body of the composition, and in and around the centerthereof, which affords a most sure guarantee that the star will not be blown out in consequence ot' its rapid pro pulsion through the air. This, of course, is essentially necessary in signals, as it is most important that each star discharged should burn so as to insure ot' there being no nter. ruption in .the continuity ot' the-system. Therefore in forming the stars, in addition to the lateral channels d d,'which serve to ignite `the powder in the chamber belo'w, I form or mold the star with a small socket-chamber,

d', as it were, atits center, and which extends from its upper surface down through the body Lof the composition to a depth, say of a quarter or half. inch, and which-leaves the base of the star solid and firm toresist the shock of the powder. In the .chamber d of each star is inserted a piece of common quick-match, y, previously dipped in a solution-ot' gum and mealed powder; The gum causes the section of the match y, 'which is inserted into the chamberd to adhere to its bottom in a manner to insure its retention in the chamber, while the upper surface of the match should project, say about a quarter of alrinch, as shown in Fig. 5, and the quick-match y being ignited by the time-fuse, and burning down in the chamber d', so ignites the star within its interior center as to render it impossible to fail to burn, or being once ignited to be blown out. v

Now, the arrangement of grooves or channels of ignition d d, in connection with the form and arrangement of the powder-chambers into which they lead, constitutes the most important elements of my invention, as will presently be explained. c, el, and c2 are the powder-chambers, and may be angular, as

shown at c2, curved, as shown at ci, .orsemil oval, as shown at 0,01' of any other form that possesses, for my purpose in use, the advantages that are secured through the'employ.

ment of either of the forms mentioned.

Now, it will be seen that the lateral ignitionchannels of the star lead into the powderchamber at the point or points where there is the least quantity of powder, and owing to the form of the chamber the full force of the powder is concentrated directly under the center of thestar, thus requiring a very little powder to be used to insurethe desired projecting ofthe star in a manner, and to an altitude, that insures the results aimed at heilig attained in the most satisfactory manner, and

which at the same time, owing to the smallness of the quantity of powder used, precludes all danger of explosion of the case or recoil 5 and the star not having a central channel extending through the same, no vent is provided through which any of the intense force of the powder might escape and be lost. These powder-chambers C, C1, and C are provided with thin walls or film-caps .a a, constructed of felt, rubber, or any other like suitable ina-j terial, fibrous or elastic, and are provided with central openings or apertures b b, as clearly .shown in Fig. 2, which wall a prevents the force of the powder-charge from driving the tire through the time-fuse in a manner that would cause its being consumed too rapidly, while at the same time the central opening b provides a means that insures of its proper ignition. The dimensions of the case A are to be such as to leave above the upper fuse G3 a chamber, E, which is to contain powder for the ignition of the signal; and the wall of which chamber serves as a barrel, as it were, to give direction to the colored stars as pro- )'ected. 'In a suitable opening cut through the wall ofthe case A, and leading into the chamber E, is screwed a percussion-tube or capni'pple, F.' The chamber E may be filled or only .partially tilled, as shown in Fig. 2, with powder El. Any quantity ot' powder that is suiiicient, through its explosion, to throw ott' the cap or top coveringwith which the case is provided, and to ignite the fuse below, is all that is desired. The composition that forms the time-fuse, its wall, the powder, and the colored stars, are all secured in the case A in the usual manner. The tool or instrument with which the tamping of the time-fuse coniposition is eiected should have its head turned, or be of the form which correspondsv with that which it is deemed desirable to give to the powder-chambers C U1 ('12. After these chambers are formed, with the same tool or instruugent the felt, rubber, or other material which is to form the wall a of the respective chambers, is readily forced in`pr9per position. The case being properly filled, andA an air-tight covering or cap being pro-vided for its upper section, and a suitable air-tight cap or shield,

F', being provided for the percussion tube or nipple F, the. entire surface of the case may be coated with a solution of shellac or other water proof composition, and which will protect thc interior from all moisture, air, or other injurious action of t-he atmosphere.

Now, a signal has more particularly been described which contains three stars; but, of course, whether itcontains only one, or two, or even more than three, the same general principle will be observed in its construction. To fire the signal, the cap F has simply to be torn ofi", and a percussion-cap is placed on the nipple F, which cap may be exploded by striking the sameagainst the side of a vessel, or other inert body. or, if desired, the cap may be exploded by a hammer or other device,

which, not being part of lmy invention, is not LJ -shaped quick-match, w w, as shown in Fig. 5,

ignites the powder in the chamber c2,- and which, exploding, projects the star D, and at the'same time, through the opening b in the wall a, ignites the time-fuse O2, and which is designed to burn a suicient interval to allow the rst star to ascend to its full altitude and burn out or become extinguished before tiring the powder in the next consecutive chamber, and so on until the stars are all exhausted.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent of the United States, is

1. The colored star or stars D D for pyrotechnic night signals, constructed with one or more vertical lateral grooves or channels, d d, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The colored stars D D, having channels for igni'ting the powder in the chamber below, and a central chamber, d', for igniting the interior surface of the star,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A time-fuse, having a powder-chamber of substantially the form shown, the same being protected by a thin wall or ihn, a, of

some suitable exible material, and having an opening or aperture, b, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of one or more colored stars, D D, time-fuses C C1 C, having powderchambers, and a wall or tlrn, a, with acentrnl opening, b, substantially as and for the purpose specified. r

5. A pyroteehnic night-signal, consisting of acuse, A, having its lower section plugged by a composition of some suitable non-combustil ble material, and its upper section protected by a waterproof cap or covering, one or morecolored stars, D D, and one or more iimefuses,

the. latter'being formed with a counter-sunk powder-chamber, and apowder-chamber, E, and a nipple or percussion-tube, F, the whole combined and arranged to operate in connec-- tion with any publie or private system or code of signals, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In .testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD F. LINTON. 4 Witnesses: FRANK P. PERSON, Riom). PIOKERING. 

